oligarchy

noun/ˈɑlɪˌɡɑrki/

Frequency rank: #15,041 most common English word

Meaning

a form of government in which a small group of people holds all the power.

Illustration for the English word “oligarchy”

Example sentence

The small nation was governed as oligarchy, with power held by just a handful of wealthy families.

Synonyms & related words

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